Cord winder



A. H. BEEDE Oct. 7, 1947.

com) WI mam Filed April 4, 1944 INVENTOR. M 1 1 Patented Oct. 7, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT CORD WINDER Arnold H. Beede, Fair-field, Conn, assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application April 4, 1944, Serial No. 529,440 16 Claims. (Cl. 242-107) My invention relates to a cord winder which 20, as by being fixed to the inner surface of the may be used, for instance, for winding up the brake drum 22. An electric cord or the like 25 is electric cord of various household appliances such adapted to pass through an opening 28 in the as a vacuum cleaner. casing I and to be wound on the reel 29. The

Reels of this nature commonly employ a spring end of this cord is provided with the usual elecwhich is wound up as the cord is unwound, and trio plug 30 which is large enough so that it canthereby stores up energy for rewinding the cord. not pass throughthe opening 28.

Various types of braking means have been pro- An arcuate brake arm 32 partially encircles the vided for holding the reel against rotation after drum 22 and is restrained against rotation by the cord has been unwound and the spring has means of a pin 34 carried by the front cover it been tensioned. which engages an elongated slot 36 in the arm. One of the objects of my invention is to pro- Arm 32 carries brake shoes 38 and in which are vide improved braking means which automatidisposed a little more than 180 apart a'ound cally release when the cord is pulled out and the brake arm so as to be located chiefly which automatically engage so as to prevent reon the same side of a diameter of the drum. winding of the cord when the pull on the latter These shoes may be separate members pivoted to ceases. the arm 32 at 39 and 4| respectively, or they A further object of my invention is to provide may constitute projections fixed to or integral a brake which is self-energizing after an initial with the arm. The distance between these shoes application when the reel is rotating in a direcis less than the diameter of the drum. The end tion to wind up the cord, while automatically of the arm 32 opposite from the pin 34 is proreleasing when the reel is rotating in the opposite vided with a releasing hook 42. Attached to this direction. end of the arm is a link member 44 which car- Another object of my invention is to provide ries a friction element, such as a felt washer 46 improved brake release mechanism which may 2 through which extends the cord 26, which elebe actuated by a single momentary impulse so as ment is sensitive to the direction of movement of to release the brake and maintain it released the cord. There is suflicient friction between the when it is desired to rewind the cord. washer and the cord so that the former tends to A still further object is to provide means follow the movement of the latter, but the fricwhereby the brake release mechanism may be tion is not sufliclent to prevent the cord from rendered inoperative at any time as a result of an passing through the washer when the latter is outward pull on the cord, whereby the brake may held against further movement, or to materially be applied before the cord is completely rewound. retard movement of the cord.

Further objects and advantages of my inven- Pivotallymounted on a pin 48 carried by the tion will be apparent from the following descripfront cover [6 is a brake releasing lever 50. One tion and drawings which form apart of this end of this lever carries a button or the like 52 specification and of which: I which projects through an opening 54 in the Fig. 1 is a view of a preferred embodiment of easing. A compression spring 56 is disposed bey i vention; tween the lever and a suitable bracket 58 on the Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the device shown casing wall. Lever 50 is also provided with an in Fig. 1, but with certain of the parts in a difarm lill projecting therefrom, which is formed ferent position; and I with a notch $2. The end of lever 59 opposite Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with cerfrom button 62 is arranged so as to contact the tain of the parts in a still different position. felt washer i6 carried by member 44 when the Referring to the drawings, reference character lever is pivoted to the position shown in Fig. 2. i0 designates a casing having a back wall i2, a A pin 84 or other suitable stop means is carried curved side wall it and a front wall iii. Most of by the casing wall it and serves to limit pivoting the front wall is shown broken away so as to reof the lever to under the influence oi the spring veal the mechanism contained within the casing. to.

Rigidly secured to the front and back walls of A latch member 66 is pivotaliy mounted on a the casing is a shaft l8 on which is rotatably pin to carried by the wall [6 and is formed with mounted a reel 20. Fixed to the reel is a brake a hooked end which is adapted to engage the hook drum 22. A spiral rewind spring 24 has its inner 62 on the brake arm 32. Latch 66 is formed with end anchored to the stationary shaft I8 while its a notch 10 and an over-center spring 12 engages outer end is secured so as to rotate with the reel 5.5 this mb. and the notch 62. The arrangement the drum rotates counter-clockwise. tion to this pressure does not have to be taken by the shaft l8, but is transmitted through the 48. the cord causes the felt washer 46 and the mem- 1 of the parts is such that, in the position shown in Fig. 1, spring 12 tends to rotate latch 66 in a counter-clockwise direction, such rotation being limited by a stop 14 carried by the wall I 6, whereengagement with the The above-described device operates as follows: With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1,

; the brake is applied so as to prevent rotation of the drum and reel in a counter-clockwise directo displace the brake arm 32 in a direction to move the brake shoe 40 substantially tangentially into frictional engagement with the drum. Any slight rotation of the drum in a counter-clockwise direction, once the shoe 40 is in. frictional engagement therewith, tends to move-the shoe with it and thus further increases the pressure between the drum and the shoe. Thus, the brake is self-energizing, once it has been applied, when Th reacdrum to the shoe 38 on the other end of the brake arm, whereby shoe 38 also brakes the drum. The tendency of the drum to rotate the arm 32 is resisted by the pin 34, which however, permits lateral movement of the arm, which thus floats,

:so to say. and centers itself properly with re- .spect to the'drum.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, an outward pull on the cord 26 tends to rotate the reel and the drum in a clockwise direction,

thus tending to release the brake, inasmuch as rotation of the drum in this direction relieves the pressure between the drum and the brake shoe Moreover, the initial outward movement of her 44 to. move downwardly, as seen in Fig. 1,

thus moving the brake arm 32 downwardly so as to removethe shoe 40 from contact with the drum. While the shoe 38 may still be in contact with the drum, there is no force present to produce friction between this shoe and the drum, and hence the drum may rotate in a clockwise direction as the cord is pulled out without having to overcome any braking effect. As the drum is rotated in this direction it winds up the spring 24.

Whenever the outward pull on the cord is relieved, the spring immediately starts to rotate the drum in a counter-clockwise direction so as to pull the cord in. However, the initial movement of the cord in this direction movesthe felt washer 46 to the osition shown in Fig. 1, thus applying the brake as above explained and preventing further rewinding of the cordf When it is desired to rewind the cord, the buttom 52 is pressed inwardly so as to pivot the lever 50 to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the end of the lever strikes the felt washer 46 so as to move it downwardly, thus releasing the brake. Also, movement of the arm 60 on the lever 58 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, causes the over-center spring 12 to pivot the latch 66 in a clockwise direction so that the hooked end thereof overlaps the hook 42 on the brake arm. However, as illustrated in Fig. 2,

these two hooks do not immediately engage,

is moved by the incoming cord in a direction to apply the brake. However, before the brake arm is moved sufficientl to apply the brake the hook 42 thereon engages the latch 66, which holds the brake in released position. Return of the lever 50 to its normal position causes the over-center spring 12 to tend to rotate the latch 66 in a counter-clockwise direction, However, this latch is in engagement with the hook 42 on the brake arm and is thus restrained from pivoting under the influence of spring 12. Consequently, the brake remains disengaged and the reel continues to wind up the cord.

The cord is thus wound up until further movement of the cord into the casing is stopped by the plug 30 contacting the casing. The brake remains disengaged, but obviously further rotation of the drum is prevented by the fact that the plug cannot pass through the opening 28.

The next time the cord is pulled out, the initial movement of the cord causes the felt washer to move downwardly, thus moving the hook 42 on the brake arm sufiicient to permit disengagement of the latch 66, which latch is pivoted in a countar-clockwise direction by the spring 12. Thereafter, the brake remains disengaged as long as the cord is being pulled out, but as soon as the pull on the cord is relieved, the spring 24 starts to rewind it, with the result that the felt washer 46 is moved upwardly so as to apply the brake.

Obviously, if the-cord is grasped during the rewinding, the brake may be applied by merely pulling the cord out sufiicientlyjto move the felt washer so as to disengage the hook 42 from the latch 66. Hence, it is possible to partially rewind the cord and to apply the brake so as to hold the reel in the desired position. v

While I have shown one more or less specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this has been done for purposes of illustration only, and that the scope of my invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cord winder, a reel member, a cord member, means for rotating the reel member in a direction to wind the cord member thereon, brake means for restraining rotation of said reel member, means sensitive to the direction of movement of one of said members resulting from the rotation of said reel member for releasing said braking means during unwinding ofthe cord member and for tending to apply said braking means during winding .of the cord member, and manually operable means for rendering the direction-sensitive means inoperative to apply said braking means during winding of the cord memcord member and for tending to apply said braking means during winding of the cord member, and means operable by a single momentary impulse for rendering and maintaining the lastmentioned means inoperative to apply said braking means during winding of the cord member.

3. In a cord winder, a reel, a cord, means for rotating'the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, brake means for restraining rotation of said reel, and an element .in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, and means operable by movement of said element in said one direction for releasing said braking means and operable by movement of said element in said opposite direction for applying said braking means.

4. In a cord winder, a reel, a cord, means for rotating the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, brake means for restraining rotation of said reel, and an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, means operable by movement of said element in said one direction for releasing said braking means and operable by movement of said element in said opposite direction for applying said braking means, and manually operable means for rendering the last-mentioned means inoperative to apply said braking means.

5. In a cord winder, a reel, a cord, means for rotating the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, brake means for restraining rotation of said reel, and an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, means operable by movement of said element in said one direction for releasing said braking means and operable by movement of said element in said opposite direction for applying said braking means, and means operable by a single momentary impulse for rendering the last-mentioned means inoperative to apply said braking means.

6. In a cord winder, a reel having a braking surface, a brake member movable into and out of frictional engagement with said surface, a cord, means tending to rotate the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, an element in frictional engagement with said cord as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, and a link member connecting said element to said brake member for moving the latter out of engagement with said braking surface when said element is moved in said one direction and for moving said brake member into frictional engagement with said surface when the element is moved in said opposite direction.

7. In a cord winder, a reel having a braking surface, a brake member movable into and out of frictional engagement with said surface, a cord, means tending to rotate the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, 9. link member connecting said element to said brake member for moving the latter out of engagement with said braking surface when said element is moved in said one direction, and for moving said brake member into frictional engagement with said surface when the element eans is moved in the opposite direction, a latch member engageable with said brake member for holding the latter out of frictional engagement with said surface, and a manually operable member for engaging said latch member with said brake member. v

8. In a cord winder, a reel having a braking surface, a brake member movable into and out of frictional engagement with said surface, a cord, means tending to rotate the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, a link member connecting said element to said brake member for moving the latter out of engagement with said braking surface when said element is moved in said one direction, and for moving said brake member into frictional engagement with said surface when the element is moved in the oppositedirection, a latch member engageable with said brake member for holding the latter out of frictional engagement with said surface, a manually operable pivoted lever, and an over-center spring between said lever and said latch member for moving the latter into engagement with said brake member when said lever is pivoted.

9. In a cord winder, a reel having a braking surface, a brake member movable into and out of frictional engagement with said surface, a cord, means tending to rotate the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cordand in the opposite direction during winding, a link member connecting said element to said brake member for moving the latter out of engagement with said braking surface when said element is moved in said one direction, and for moving said brake member into frictional engagement with said surface when the element is moved in the opposite direction, a hook carried by said brake member, a latch member having a hook engageable with said hook member for holding said brake member out of frictional engagement with said surface, and means operable by a single momentary impulse for engaging the hook of said latch member with said hook memher, the hooks being shaped so as to be retained in engagement by the force applied to said brake member by said element during winding of said cord.

10. In a cord winder, a reel having a braking surface, a brake member movable into and out of frictional engagement with said surface, a cord, means tending to rotate the reel in a direction to wind the cord thereon, an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction during winding, a link member connecting said element to said brake member for moving the latter out of engagement with said braking surface when said element is moved in said one direction, and

for moving said brake member into frictional en-- gagement with said surface when the element is moved in the opposite direction, a hook carried by said brake member, a latch member having a hook engageable with said hook member for holding said brake member out of frictional en gagement with said surface, a manually operable pivoted lever, a spring biasing said lever in one direction, and an over-center spring between said lever and said latch member for moving the hook cylindrical braking surface, an arcuate brake arm extending around said surface and having projections for contacting said surface spaced more than 180 apart, means for restraining said arm against rotation, a cord member adapted to be wound on said reel member, means for rotating the reel member to wind said cord member there- ,on, and means sensitive to the direction of movement of one of said members for moving said arm so that at least one of said projections moves substantially tangentially into frictionalengagement with said surface during winding of said cord member and for moving said arm in the opposite direction during unwinding.

12. In a cord winder, a reel member having a cylindrical braking surface, an arcuate brake arm extending around said surface and having projections for contacting said surface spaced more than 180 apart, means for restraining said arm against rotation, a cord member adapted to be wound on said reel member, means for rotating the reel member to wind said cord member thereon, means sensitive to the direction of movement of one of said members for moving said arm so that at least one of said projections moves substantially tangentially into frictional engagement with said surface during winding of said cord member and for moving said arm in the opposite direction during unwinding, and means for rendering the last-mentioned means inoperative to move said arm during Winding sufficiently to move the projection into engagement with said surface.

13. In a cord winder, a, reel member having a cylindrical braking surface, an arcuate brake arm extending around said surface and having projections for contacting said surface spaced more than 180 apart, means for restraining said arm against rotation, a cord member adapted to be wound on said reel member, means for rotating the reel member to wind said cord member thereon, means sensitive to the direction of movement of one of said members for moving said arm so that at least one of said projections moves substantially tangentially into frictional engagement with said surface during winding of said cord member and for moving'said arm in the opposite direction during unwinding, and means responsive to a single momentary impulse for rendering the last-mentioned means inoperative to move said arm during winding sufficiently to move the projection into engagement with said surface.

14. In a cord winder, a reel member having a ylindrical braking surface, an arcuate brake arm extending around said surface and having projections for contacting said surface spaced more than 180 apart, means for restraining said arm against rotation, a cord member adapted to be wound on said reel member, means for rotating the reel member to wind said cord member thereon, means sensitive to the direction of movement of one of said members for moving said arm so.

that at least one of said projections moves substantially tangentially into frictional engagement with said surface during winding of said cord member and for moving said arm in the opposite direction during unwinding, a latch member engageable with said arm for rendering the last mentioned means inoperative to move said arm during winding sufiiciently to move the projection into engagement with said surface, a member operable by a single momentary impulse for engaging said latch member with said arm, move ment of the arm in said opposite direction by said last-mentioned means disengaging said latch member from the arm. I

15. In a cord winder, a, reel member, a cord member, means for rotating the reel member in a direction to wind the cord member thereon, brake means for restraining rotation of said reel member, means sensitive to the direction of movement of one of said members resulting from the rotation of said reel member for releasing said braking means during unwinding of the cord member and for tending to apply said braking means during winding of the cord member, latching mechanism manually operable for rendering the direction-sensitive means inoperative to apply said braking means during winding of the cord member, said direction-sensitive means being operable in response-to movement of one of said direction to release said members in unwinding latching means.

16. In a cordwi-ndena reel; a 'cord,means;f or

rotating the reel in 'a direction to wind the cord thereon, brake means for restraining rotational said reel, and an element in frictional engagement with said cord so as to be moved in one direction during unwinding of the cord and in the opposite direction durlng'winding, direction-sensitive means. operable by movement of said element in said one direction for releasing said braking means and operable by movement of said element in said opposite direction for applying said braking means, and latching mechanism manually operablefor rendering said direction-sensitive means inoperative to apply said braking means during winding of the cord, said element being operable in response to movement of the cord in unwinding direction to release said latching means.

ARNOLD H. BEEDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

